Nothing OS removes bloatwares: Will HyperOS follow suit?

In a surprising twist, Nothing has started dialing back its agressive ad campaign in Nothing OS. Responding to mounting criticism from its fans, the company started removing some of the pre-installed advertising on its devices, along with unlocking bloatware that users can delete.

The Rise of Bloatware in Nothing OS

As reported by sources, the change started in October the previous year. Users reported a large number of pre-installed apps as well as advertisements. This was most seen on the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite, which had ads on the lock screen and promotional apps. Though conventional apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok could be uninstalled on the phone, the underlying infrastructure itself—Meta App Installer, Meta App Manager, and Meta Services—was still deeply rooted. Earlier, this infrastructure could only be turned off and not uninstalled. Hence, there was a sense of the “clean” smartphone experience that Nothing has earlier promised drifting away.

A Departure from Original Intentions

This scandal created a wave of irony throughout the tech world. Netizens just unearthed an old clip where Carl Pei, the CEO of the company known now as Nothing, discredited the company’s rivals because they “clogged their devices with advertisements and pre-installed software.” Analysts condemn Carl’s company as having “gone with the flow” despite having the original vision of creating a bloatware-free environment.

Concessions and Current Status

Facing a PR crisis, Nothing has finally made some changes:

• Meta Services: Users can now fully remove Meta App Installer, Meta App Manager, and Meta Services from Meta on their devices. However, the factory reset will reinstall Meta App Installer, Meta App Manager, and Meta Services on the
• Sponsored App Recommendations: The Phone series’ ‘Sponsored App Recommendations’ option allows you to turn off this option from Settings, and while you won’t see any ads, a banner will appear after system setup.

The contentious advertisements on the lock screen (Lock Glimpse) will be ditched on most phones except the affordable Nothing Phone (3a) Lite. Nothing warned that these removals may not be permanent, as it was indicated that the adverts may come back after the respective “features have been sufficiently improved.”

Comparison of Xiaomi: A Need for Change

This is not the first time that there has been an issue concerning Nothing OS. It has been happening for years that Xiaomi users have been “fighting” system level ads (msa/system ads). Although it has become easier for users to turn off these ads by following multiple steps that require much time, it is not exactly user-friendly.

As Nothing starts listening to its communities and making the process of removing intrusive content easier, the tech community is now focusing their attention on Xiaomi. Consumers are optimistic about Xiaomi taking this cue and making a simpler procedure available for opting out of system-level ads.

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